Undercover dairy video leads to animal abuse allegations

On Tuesday, Mercy for Animals released an undercover video allegedly showing abuse at a Wisconsin dairy.

The video reportedly shows abuse at the Wiese Brothers Farm near Greenleaf, Wis.

DiGiorno pizza manufacturer Nestlé announced in the wake of the allegations that it will not longer accept cheese made with milk from the farm. Cheese supplier Foremost Farms USA also discontinued its relationship with the dairy, according to news reports.

NBC News reported Tuesday that an investigation of the farm by the Brown County (Wis.) Sheriff’s Department is currently under way. No charges have been filed at this time.

Animal-handling expert Temple Grandin watched the video and is quoted by NBC news as saying, “the actions of these people went beyond rough handling and escalated to the level of cruelty. Kicking, beating, and hard whipping of downed cows is abusive.”

The owners said in a statement they are cooperating with local law enforcement and are “shocked and saddened” to see the footage. They have “zero tolerance for animal abuse” and terminated two employees. A third employee was removed from animal-handling responsibilities.

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About the Author:

Angela Bowman, associate editor, PorkNetwork

Angela joined PorkNetwork as staff writer in 2010, and today handles many aspects of the magazine’s online and print presence. From cattle to hogs, from corn to wheat, her farming roots trace to generations of hard-working farmers – her great-great grandfather helped bring turkey red wheat to the Midwest. Her family still grows corn and soybeans on their Nebraska farm dating back four generations. She graduated with honors from Ottawa University with a B.A. in Communications and combines her rural upbringing, precision ag experience and agricultural background to create fresh, informational articles that are both relevant and interesting.